1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to garden tools and more particularly to a garden tool for weeding with a multiple-angled blade.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to any gardener that for your crops to grow healthily it is vital to keep the growing area free of weeds. This can often be a difficult and cumbersome task. Many do not wish to use herbicides in the proximity of edible plants, either for fear that the herbicide will kill the desirous plant or the chemical will contaminate the food growing therefrom, or both.
Several tools have been devised to assist the gardener in the manual removal of weeds and aeration of the soil. Some of these tools are large and cumbersome and thus unsuitable for use around the perimeter of delicate plants. There is a type of weeding tool that comprises a short handle, a predominantly straight metal shaft protruding therefrom, and pair of sharpened teeth integrated with the termination of the shaft. Such a tool is made by Wallace Manufacturing Company of Enfield, Conn. and sold as Weeder #7046 (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cWallace-type weederxe2x80x9d). Wallace-type weeders are well-known in the art of gardening and the inventor will assume that the reader is generally familiar therewith. It is, of course, well-known that others manufacture similar tools of this type.
While the Wallace-type weeder is useful in that it is sufficiently compact so as not to disturb the desirous plants, the straight shaft and blade sometimes makes it inefficient at removing weeds or aerating the soil. Furthermore, many gardeners are senior in age, having taken up the activity as a hobby in retirement years. For this class of individuals, it is sometimes difficult to bend or arthritis makes using conventional weeders more difficult.
Thus, there is a need for a weeder shaped to be easy to use for people with compromised mobility, while still maintaining a compact package. It is an object of this invention to provide such a compact and easy-to-use garden tool for weeding and aerating the soil. Other objects will become apparent in light of the description that follows.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a tool with either a short handle for use from a sitting or kneeling position; or a long handle for use from a standing position.
It is with the above objects in mind that the present invention was created. The present invention takes a conventional Wallace-type weeder and modifies the straight shaft. The shaft is bent with at least two primary bends so that the end of the tool is somewhat facing the user.
The invention is easily understood and practiced as it can be made by starting with a Wallace-type weeder and using a blow torch or other conventional means of bending steel, providing the appropriate bends. The end of the Wallace-type weeder has a pair of sharpened teeth for penetrating the ground. The present invention does not modify this end, and these teeth should be facing back at the user, offset by 45 degrees when the user holds handle straight out and perpendicular to his body.